Rain
by DancingRaindrops
Summary: One of my older works that I recently found. Future fic, in which Chad stands in the rain. Inspired by "She Will Be Loved," by Maroon 5.


A/N: So I actually wrote this months ago, around November or so. I came across it yesterday and decided I would post it just for the heck of it; after all, it's not like anything bad will come out of it. :P So here it is! I bet you can see how my writing has progressed.

**Rain**

Stupid rain. I've never liked it. It's too...well, wet. It causes all kinds of trouble, especially in a place like Hollywood, which simply isn't _meant_ to be soaked.

So, needless to say, a day like today, where it's pouring unnaturally hard, is not a good day for Chad Dylan Cooper.

Rain brings unpleasant memories, too. The time it rained hardest in Hollywood (exactly eighteen months and four days ago), I saw her. I haven't seen her since. Do you know what it's like, not having seen her for that long? Not having spoken to her, not having argued with her? Not having watched the way her smile lights up her entire face and brightens the room?

No. You probably don't. Because the rest of the world, aside from me, sees her everyday.

Sonny Munroe is famous. She's a celebrity, one of the A-list ones whom the cameras always watch. It's been ten years (actually, nine years, eleven months, and twenty-nine days) since I first met her at Condor Studios. Our shows ended a few years after that when my show eventually ran out of dramatic twists and hers lost all of its stars, one by one. She was the last to go, of course, and the favorite of the viewers and everyone else who met her. But the end was inevitable, for the both of us.

I had known it then, too. At the party after our last day of filming, I told myself that it was now or never. That if I was ever going to ask her out, it had to be now. So I did. I went up to her and asked her to dance, right in the middle of all of those people who were supposed to hate each other, but never really did. And she said yes.

She said yes when I asked her to dance that day. She said yes when I asked her to dinner two days later. She said yes when I asked her to be my girlfriend after one month of dating. She always said yes.

And then one day, she said no.

I had asked her to marry me, and she said no. She told me that she wasn't ready for that kind of commitment to someone. I interpreted that to mean she wasn't planning on staying with me forever. And that hurt, a lot. As you can imagine, words flew, and a bitter fight took place. She said things I didn't like, and I said things she didn't like. But I guess what I said must have been worse.

She walked out of my apartment that night. It was raining outside, and I shouted my apologies at her over the sound of pouring water. She stood there, drenched and beautiful, just looking at me. I waited for her to say something, feeling the rain soak me to the bone as I did so. She never spoke. Instead, she gave me a smile - not her signature smile, but a heartbroken, miserable smile that had one corner higher than the other, as if laughing at her own sadness. Then she walked away. And I didn't chase after her.

Eighteen months and four days later, she's moved on. Dating some Hollywood hotshot who's in love with himself, making blockbusters. What am I doing? I've made movies, of course, but I never go out in public if I can help it. It's just too much. The only times I go outside are days like today. When it's raining. And I don't mean drizzling, I mean raining. Pouring. These days don't come often, but when they do, I stand exactly where I had stood that day, watching her as she gave me that half-smile and left. I'm not sure why I do it. I just know that I have to.

Other people sometimes go outside in the rain. They don't stand still, though. They walk, moving on with their lives. While I stand here and watch them go by.

Today is no exception. I can see someone walking - no, more like running, actually - in this direction. Why would someone be running when it's pouring like this? I strain my eyes, trying to make out who the person is.

Oh my God. It's Sonny. I don't have time to react beyond that, because she's suddenly right in front of me, where she stood that one day. And that same broken smile is on her face, but at least I know I didn't cause it this time.

"Chad?" It's her, it definitely is. The way she says my name is so different from how everyone else does. "I - I need help." Her shoulders slump and tears run down her cheeks, mixing with the raindrops.

"What is it?" I say hoarsely, still in shock. I gesture towards the door, asking her to come in, and she consents. We enter my apartment in silence, and she sits on the couch immediately. My befuddled mind reminds me that she and I used to make out on that couch. Used to curl up together and watch movies on that couch. Yesterday, I almost threw that couch away. I'm glad I didn't.

"He cheated on me," she whispers bitterly, speaking up after a few minutes. "He told me that I was 'good enough,' but she was 'prettier and more fun.'" Sonny shakes her head, wiping away her tears. "I just needed to get away." Wordlessly, I sit on the couch beside her and pull her into my arms. It feels so right to have her with me again. "You don't mind, do you?" Sonny asks, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "I wouldn't have come here, but when I saw that it was raining outside..."

"It's fine," I assure her as she trails off. "It's always fine." She smiles at me then, a real smile, and it feels like the last eighteen months haven't existed at all. "Do you want to stay here?" The words slip out before I can stop them, and Sonny looks at me with disbelief. "That is, if you want to..."

"For how long?" she asks. She's considering it!

"For awhile. As long as you want to."

"Yes." She moves closer to me, and I wrap my arms around her again. If I have my way, she'll never say no again. As if she can hear my thoughts, she repeats her answer. "Yes."

I might actually learn to like the rain.

A/N: I think this one was inspired by _She Will Be Loved_, by Maroon 5. Not exactly a song fic, but something kinda like it, I suppose. Don't leave a review telling me it's terrible, if you please; I know that it's not even close to being some of my best work. :P But please do review with something positive. :D


End file.
